New Guy...Have some Deep Questions..

[Sunstone]

" Embryonic pharyngeal arches are not gills and do not carry out the same function."

OK. The things I referred to as gills are not literally gills. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[methylatedghosts]

If there is only one god that is the creater of the earth, does that mean that every other religion that believes in something else is wrong?

No. If you believe in no god, it's because you perceive reality to exist as such that no God exists. Your perception of it, makes it "right". As for multiple gods, I feel it's just personifying different aspects of life. (God of war, god of love, god of children god of animals etc etc etc)

If we are ALL god's children, why are there different races and different religions?

The same reason brothers and sisters look different - genetics.
Besides, if everyone looked the same, you'd get kind of bored looking at yourself all the time wouldn't you?

How accurate is the bible??

IMO - not very. Maybe a few key points may have been right, but for the most part, I don't really see it having too much validity.

If it was originally written over 2000 years ago, and written in (hebrew?) and the english language isn't even that old, how was it translated to be read the exact way it was meant to be??

It wasn't...

To me it would be like playing a game of telephone...by the time the story got back to you, its going to have changed in some way.

Absolutely.

Also, how come all these biblical stories of people who had visions or talked to god, and miracles such as the parting of the red sea never happens today?

You don't necessarily need a miracle to have an experience of God. And I think more people talk with (not to) God than you may think. Thing is, you may not wish to see it. You may have been taught that it was "evil"

Im just at the point where i consider myself to be agnostic because im not sure what to believe. Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

A better starting place may be "what DO you believe" and build on that. If something doesn't make sense, find out what does and replace it. Have fun searching!!

 

[OpenSlate88]

Im def. loving hearing everyone's opinion and seeing different POVs. Sometimes i wonder if the world is based on science and if there in fact is a scientific explanation for everything. I look at people such as Benny Hinn and wonder if its true or if he is making a mockery of god. Sometimes i wonder if god is living among us and we just don't know it, And sometimes i wonder That there has to be some kind of higher power that created everything.

 

[Super Universe]

Ok well heres my story. My name is Cory and im 19 years old. As a little kid i was brought up as a baptist and went to church every sunday. As i got older, i stopped going, but would still consider myself a baptist. Well up until about 2 years ago, i started to question my faith and what i believed. Well now im just lost and want to here some answers, now i understand that some of my questions are very wide spread and may not be able to be answered. (Also, Im not sure if this is where this thread belongs, If it needs to be moved, please feel free to do so) Here are some of my questions. If there is only one god that is the creater of the earth, does that mean that every other religion that believes in something else is wrong? If we are ALL god's children, why are there different races and different religions? How accurate is the bible?? If it was originally written over 2000 years ago, and written in (hebrew?) and the english language isn't even that old, how was it translated to be read the exact way it was meant to be?? To me it would be like playing a game of telephone...by the time the story got back to you, its going to have changed in some way. Also, how come all these biblical stories of people who had visions or talked to god, and miracles such as the parting of the red sea never happens today? Im just at the point where i consider myself to be agnostic because im not sure what to believe. Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

Every religion, as well as every belief in God that humans have, is equally incorrect about God. We all have a very long way to go before we really comprehend God.

Why are there different races? There aren't. All humans belong to the same race. It's like saying that cats with white fur belong to one cat race and cats with spotted fur belong to another when they are all the same race. Those differences are insignificant. Is every person in your family exactly the same? No, but they still belong to the same race of beings.

Why are there different religions? Because people love to form groups and once they do form a group they want others to join that believe the exact same thing as them. It's comforting when others are the same as you and sometimes people in these groups see other groups as enemies. It makes them feel better about themselves when they see others as being "wrong".

How accurate is the bible? Not very accurate, I'm afraid. Remember, ancient people didn't know what caused natural events (earthquakes, storms, plagues, meteors...) so they blamed them on God.

Also, in the Old Testament days the Jewish Rabbi's were trying to make their God out to be strong, active, and intimidating to the people and their enemies. God's miracles are the universe, the earth, and life itself. He did not part the Red Sea to favor one group of humans over another. He does not interfere.

Take your time and don't ever be afraid to ask questions. We've all been exactly where you are now.

 

[kai]

Im def. loving hearing everyone's opinion and seeing different POVs. Sometimes i wonder if the world is based on science and if there in fact is a scientific explanation for everything. I look at people such as Benny Hinn and wonder if its true or if he is making a mockery of god. Sometimes i wonder if god is living among us and we just don't know it, And sometimes i wonder That there has to be some kind of higher power that created everything.

thats the wonder of man my friend ,that he wonders

 

[Popeyesays]

Mankind is a garden. It would be awful boring if only tulips of one color were planted in the garden.

Regards,
Scott

 

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Cory; great to have you here!

Please let me have a go at your questions:

If there is only one god that is the creater of the earth, does that mean that every other religion that believes in something else is wrong?

I would say that every monotheistic religion, which covers all the great ones, is basically correct, the more so since IOV they're all worshipping the same One God under His various names (which are simply differences of language and culture).

The scriptures of my Faith express it this way:

"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you."
-- (The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, page 114)

If we are ALL god's children, why are there different races and different religions?

The races are mere accidents of location: some folks received more sun than others, the therefore developed protective skin coloration. But we're all the same brothers and sisters underneath!

As to the various religions, I see all the great religions as successive steps (or stages) in a single ongoing and evolving faith, the Faith of God!

In fact, they all teach the same spiritual essentials (though sometimes expressed in different wordings).

It's only the social teachings that vary from religion to religion, and that's quite intentional, part of God's plan to guide us gradually and progressively as we increase in capacity and understanding. Things suitable for one Age and circumstance are often not appropriate later on for new situations, and so God reveals updated teachings periodically by sending us successive Divine Messengers to proclaim these. (Thus, religion evolves over time just as the rest of creation does!)

How accurate is the bible??

I would say that although the Bible has tragically undergone at least some human alteration and corruption (due to the waywardness of certain individuals over the millenia), we are fortunate that it still remains mostly intact and that its spiritual message (as contrasted some of its other aspects) is undamaged.

That said, though, as I see it there are newer scriptures available (which I myself recognize and follow) that not only uphold the legitimacy of the Bible but also demonstrate the fulfillment of its promises and prophecies!

You also asked about science and religion. I'm a firm believer that these should (and do!) go together hand-in hand, each complimenting the other very nicely! Science explains the "how" of things, while religion explains "Who" and "why." Their roles are thus both complimentary and largely non-overlapping.

And the quickest way to get into trouble is to try to use either science or religion in the place of the other!

The scriptures of my faith have this to say about the importance of science:

“[E]ven in Europe it is admitted that religion is the opponent of science, and that science is the destroyer of the foundations of religion. While the religion of God is the promoter of truth, the founder of science and knowledge, it is full of goodwill for learned men; it is the civilizer of mankind, the discoverer of the secrets of nature, and the enlightener of the horizons of the world. Consequently, how can it be said to oppose knowledge? God forbid! Nay, for God, knowledge is the most glorious gift of man and the most noble of human perfections. To oppose knowledge is ignorant, and he who detests knowledge and science is not a man, but rather an animal without intelligence. For knowledge is light, life, felicity, perfection, beauty and the means of approaching the Threshold of Unity. It is the honor and glory of the world of humanity, and the greatest bounty of God. Knowledge is identical with guidance, and ignorance is real error.

“Happy are those who spend their days in gaining knowledge, in discovering the secrets of nature, and in penetrating the subtleties of pure truth! Woe to those who are contented with ignorance, whose hearts are gladdened by thoughtless imitation, who have fallen into the lowest depths of ignorance and foolishness, and who have wasted their lives!”
—(Some Answered Questions, page 137)

Best regards, and please feel free to keep the questions coming!

Bruce

 

[Hope]

I look at people such as Benny Hinn and wonder if its true or if he is making a mockery of god.

He is. If you are confused about Christianity due to people like him, well, no wonder.

Sometimes i wonder if god is living among us and we just don't know it

That's what happened when Jesus walked the earth.

It's definitely ok to question things, but I hope God brings the truth to light for you.

 

[Rolling_Stone]

That embryonic recapitulation meme is an urban legend, like saltpeter in boot camp mess hall food.

Don't bet on it! I was a cook in the AF

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Ok, you got questions! I'm going to do a little pimping for my church here. Go to the Unitarian Universalist website and see if there is a congregation near you and if so go check it out one Sunday.

UUA: Find a Congregation

Especially check out the Religious Eductation program. UUs are the only Christian church I know of that offers a comparitive religion Sunday School that introduces you to all religions and explores all the questions you listed in your first post. Also, if you come and ask all your questions and the answers you find lead you back to a traditional Christian church then we are very happy to have helped. Our goal is not to make you ours but to help you find your path.

I hope that doesn't sound to much like a commercial...

 

[salam]

Among the blessings and favors that God has bestowed upon humanity is that He endowed them with an innate ability to recognize and acknowledge His existence.

The Religion of Islam - What is Islam? (part 1 of 4): The Core of Islam

 

[Vasilisa Jade]

Welcome OpenSlate88!! You will love this place, and I am sure you will find many answers to all your questions. What Super Universe said is so true, many of us were all really truly once in your spot, and many of us still are! Don't ever let others do your thinking and deciding for you, or pressure you into following thier ideas. With that said, best of luck with your girlfriends dad. I would advise you to try and avoid the topic of religion entirely if that is possible. If it does come up I have a little secret to tell you:

smile and nod. nothing more nothing less, if you are asked questions redirect them back at him

:witch:cackle cackle...:nightcraw:

 

[Student of islam]

Assalam o Alaikum (May peace be upon you) Cory,

well for your first question "If there is only one god that is the creater of the earth, does that mean that every other religion that believes in something else is wrong?"
let me give you an illustration..if you know that 2+2=4 and can prove it by every way that 2+2=4..that means its true and anything else told would be wrong..that is if someone tells you that 2+2=5 you will know thats not right..so the basic part is that you are sure of what you know. and if you want help with the proof of Allah being the only God..feel free to ask me and I will try my best to assist you.

For your second question "If we are ALL god's children, why are there different races and different religions?"
allow me to tell you that we are God's creation..not children...when a cat's baby is always a cat..a cow's baby is always a calf....how is it possible that the mighty immortal God has mortal and sinful humans...
Now the different races, caste and all these differences are just for recognition..like when you see a fish you'll know it lives in water and when you look at a lion..u'll know it lives in jungle..see that is how Allah made different races and caste for simple recognition but there is no and there should not be any discrimination on races or caste..

" How accurate is the bible?? If it was originally written over 2000 years ago, and written in (hebrew?) and the english language isn't even that old, how was it translated to be read the exact way it was meant to be??"
you have pretty much answered your own question..it got translated and translated and God knows after how many levels of translation it came into this English version and the you know somethings add and something is left out when translating..also the bible that you have now are not exactly what was revealed on Jesus..these are the words of close companions of Jesus.. and these were given the shape of book many years after Jesus..whereas Quran (the holy book of Islam) was written the moment it was revealed so as to keep its authenticity..

"Also, how come all these biblical stories of people who had visions or talked to god, and miracles such as the parting of the red sea never happens today?"
Those things were the miracles those were given to Messengers of Allah..in order to make the people of that time believe in Allah. every1 of us gets convinced when we see such things..

Hope you understand and I pray to Allah that He guides you in the right direction and bless you with the peace of heart and soul.

Regards,

Student of Islam

 

[Autodidact]

Hi, Open. I just want to welcome you and say that I think it's great for a young person to realize that it's up to you to figure it out, that only you can do that for yourself, that you are not obligated to either accept or reject what you were raised with, and to ask questions. I think that RF is a good place to do it, because we have such a diverse mix of beliefs here. Here's a fun idea: How about starting a thread in General Religious Discussions, and ask everyone, including the Christians, to provide a short summary of their religion or lack thereof, its basic beliefs about the world. I'm sure there are other people here asking similar questions, and it seems like that would be educational for all.

I also encourage you to lurk around, there's a lot of info flying around. People probably reveal more about their beliefs without intending to, in any case.

Welcome, and see you on the boards.

 

[rajakrsna]

There`s only one God but He has so many names as well as incarnations. GOD is the Generator, Operator & Destroyer. As the Generator, He is called Brahma, As the Operator God is described as Visnu. As the Destroyer, God is named Shiva.In the Bible, God is described as the Holy Trinity. These are basic teachings. In India, God is Krishna. In the Western world, God is Christ. In the Islamic world, God is Allah. Buddha is said to be an incarnation of Krishna. God therefore has many forms & faces by which men from all walks of life can worship Him in accordance to the culture, color & race one belongs. What is important is believing there`s God & what good He can do to you or vice versa. But those who don`t believe in God should believe in the goodness they do to others not bad. What`s the use believing in God if your bad & denying the existence of God if your good?

 

[Student of islam]

Im also not THAT familiar with the bible, ive read parts of it and didn't really understand it, kind of like reading shakespeare. I've read basically about revelations and the raptures. and the basic stuff you learn as a kid.

as you are in the undecided position..and you don't have detailed knowledge of any religious scripture..I would suggest that you study some books on Comparative Religion..you can find them in any library.. And inshaAllah (by Allah's will) i am sure you will like Islam..as the simplest and the most scientific religion of all. And I will pray to Allah that He guides you to the right path..Amen

 

[YmirGF]

1. If there is only one god that is the creater of the earth, does that mean that every other religion that believes in something else is wrong?

Welcome Cory,

The answer is yes and no. Yes, all religions are "wrong" in that they no longer embody the truths of their founders, but rather, are based on the hearsay of endless interpretations. Given that no two people see reality exactly the same way, it is a bit of a stretch to proclaim a given religion as being suitable for "all" mankind, regardless of what that religion is named by its followers. Likewise even the most devout "believers" must admit that the Earth may well have formed itself. Reality does not need "conscious" intervention to grow. Our universe could well have been the result of innumerable "chance" occurrences that melded together to form our little world... within a very, very large cosmos.

The other side of the coin has been reasonably expressed by others in this thread, so there is no need to further embellish things.

2. If we are ALL god's children, why are there different races and different religions?

In the most obvious terms, we are all human and that does lend itself to the speculation that we are all from one source. My answer would be that we are all of similar, but different types of beings. One race is not superior to any other, but reflects differing worldviews based in ethnicity, culture and race. To me, it is just another form of expression of natural differences and becomes a central part of how the individual identifies their own sense of individuality. For all we know, the different races could just be developed from different lines, but that gets very confusing rather quickly and so we settle for parables like the Adam and Eve fable to explain that which is perhaps beyond our current scientific analysis and understanding.

3. How accurate is the bible?? If it was originally written over 2000 years ago, and written in (hebrew?) and the english language isn't even that old, how was it translated to be read the exact way it was meant to be??

There's the rub. We have no real way of knowing. The Bible did not exist in its present form until long after the events described within it. We have no physical proof that Jesus said any of the things quoted in the Bible, for example. Even if we did, how would we know that the writer of the work got the story straight? We wouldn't.

4. To me it would be like playing a game of telephone...by the time the story got back to you, its going to have changed in some way.

A pretty good analogy. Closer to home, think of how you relate a news story you heard on the radio to someone who has not heard the news piece. Invariably you will alter the news story, however slightly. Multiply this by millions of people over thousands of years and you have modern mythology. Just because lots of people believe in a given account of events does not mean that those events, as depicted, are in way "true". It could just mean that a great number of people are extremely gullible.

5. Also, how come all these biblical stories of people who had visions or talked to god, and miracles such as the parting of the red sea never happens today?

Precisely. There are those who will tell you that the miracles are already given and one is left to utilize "free will" to either accept their validity or reject them (usually with grave consequences... no pun intended, actually, but it fits nicely, lol). The simple fact is that there have been precious few "miracles" of any note in a very long time. Verifying the authenticity of those "miracles" is, by the very nature of miracles, somewhat difficult. Usually so-called "miracles" convince only those who are sitting on the fence nearby, as the faithful have no need of miracles and disbelievers would not accept anything short of Jesus descending from the clouds, flanked by a phalanx of angel, in broad daylight, down into Time square.

6. Im just at the point where i consider myself to be agnostic because im not sure what to believe. Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

You have to try to accept that being agnostic or even an atheist is perfectly OK. :yes: There is nothing wrong with either position, regardless of what the "true believers" might think about it. As long as you are "good" with your belief structures, as they are, you will do just fine.

My advice is stay away from religions. :cover: It's not like they really have all that much to offer you, then again, if you are in doubt, you could simply submit to Pascal's Wagner to cover your butt. :flirt:

 

[ABLATT]

Ok well heres my story. My name is Cory and im 19 years old. As a little kid i was brought up as a baptist and went to church every sunday. As i got older, i stopped going, but would still consider myself a baptist. Well up until about 2 years ago, i started to question my faith and what i believed. Well now im just lost and want to here some answers, now i understand that some of my questions are very wide spread and may not be able to be answered. (Also, Im not sure if this is where this thread belongs, If it needs to be moved, please feel free to do so) Here are some of my questions. If there is only one god that is the creater of the earth, does that mean that every other religion that believes in something else is wrong? If we are ALL god's children, why are there different races and different religions? How accurate is the bible?? If it was originally written over 2000 years ago, and written in (hebrew?) and the english language isn't even that old, how was it translated to be read the exact way it was meant to be?? To me it would be like playing a game of telephone...by the time the story got back to you, its going to have changed in some way. Also, how come all these biblical stories of people who had visions or talked to god, and miracles such as the parting of the red sea never happens today? Im just at the point where i consider myself to be agnostic because im not sure what to believe. Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

Hello..
The Hebrew language the bible was written in ... didn't change. King James had scholars interpret the hebrew into english. I'm not completely up to par on all of this.. but I can study on it and get back to you.

As far as other religions go.. Any religion that names other God's is false religion. Just like in the bible days.. those who worshipped Baal.. and other god's.. were FALSE.. and God was very displeased with them.

Miracles do still happen today. They may not be the parting of the red sea.. but I do believe God can still perform that miracle if need be. The so-called lack of miracles would be due to the lack of faith of the world today.

 

[ABLATT]

Welcome Cory,

The answer is yes and no. Yes, all religions are "wrong" in that they no longer embody the truths of their founders, but rather, are based on the hearsay of endless interpretations. Given that no two people see reality exactly the same way, it is a bit of a stretch to proclaim a given religion as being suitable for "all" mankind, regardless of what that religion is named by its followers. Likewise even the most devout "believers" must admit that the Earth may well have formed itself. Reality does not need "conscious" intervention to grow. Our universe could well have been the result of innumerable "chance" occurrences that melded together to form our little world... within a very, very large cosmos.

The other side of the coin has been reasonably expressed by others in this thread, so there is no need to further embellish things.

In the most obvious terms, we are all human and that does lend itself to the speculation that we are all from one source. My answer would be that we are all of similar, but different types of beings. One race is not superior to any other, but reflects differing worldviews based in ethnicity, culture and race. To me, it is just another form of expression of natural differences and becomes a central part of how the individual identifies their own sense of individuality. For all we know, the different races could just be developed from different lines, but that gets very confusing rather quickly and so we settle for parables like the Adam and Eve fable to explain that which is perhaps beyond our current scientific analysis and understanding.

There's the rub. We have no real way of knowing. The Bible did not exist in its present form until long after the events described within it. We have no physical proof that Jesus said any of the things quoted in the Bible, for example. Even if we did, how would we know that the writer of the work got the story straight? We wouldn't.

A pretty good analogy. Closer to home, think of how you relate a news story you heard on the radio to someone who has not heard the news piece. Invariably you will alter the news story, however slightly. Multiply this by millions of people over thousands of years and you have modern mythology. Just because lots of people believe in a given account of events does not mean that those events, as depicted, are in way "true". It could just mean that a great number of people are extremely gullible.

Precisely. There are those who will tell you that the miracles are already given and one is left to utilize "free will" to either accept their validity or reject them (usually with grave consequences... no pun intended, actually, but it fits nicely, lol). The simple fact is that there have been precious few "miracles" of any note in a very long time. Verifying the authenticity of those "miracles" is, by the very nature of miracles, somewhat difficult. Usually so-called "miracles" convince only those who are sitting on the fence nearby, as the faithful have no need of miracles and disbelievers would not accept anything short of Jesus descending from the clouds, flanked by a phalanx of angel, in broad daylight, down into Time square.

You have to try to accept that being agnostic or even an atheist is perfectly OK. :yes: There is nothing wrong with either position, regardless of what the "true believers" might think about it. As long as you are "good" with your belief structures, as they are, you will do just fine.

My advice is stay away from religions. :cover: It's not like they really have all that much to offer you, then again, if you are in doubt, you could simply submit to Pascal's Wagner to cover your butt. :flirt:

You'll have to exucse me quote whole paragraphs.. I'm am new and not sure how to do otherwise.

I must say that just being "good" will not do any good come judgement day. God sent his only son to die for OUR SINS... he was the one perferct sacrifice without spot or blemish. We must be forgiven of our sins here.. and then live holy and righteous.
Sin will not enter heaven.

 

[Azakel]

Hello..
The Hebrew language the bible was written in ... didn't change. King James had scholars interpret the hebrew into english. I'm not completely up to par on all of this.. but I can study on it and get back to you.

As far as other religions go.. Any religion that names other God's is false religion. Just like in the bible days.. those who worshipped Baal.. and other god's.. were FALSE.. and God was very displeased with them.

Miracles do still happen today. They may not be the parting of the red sea.. but I do believe God can still perform that miracle if need be. The so-called lack of miracles would be due to the lack of faith of the world today.

Prove to me that my Gods are false, show me that they are wrong. They have been around 1,000 of year before you one god and will be around 1,000 of years after. They know mankind better then yours. They tell me that your Gods is false and that they are Displease with him. Those that warship him are not in favor of the other Gods. The religion in this Gods name is false and knows nothing of the Gods of this Universe....... (I love my little rants).